Final answer:
Taylor's goal was to increase worker efficiency and productivity through his scientific management theory, also known as Taylorism, which helped firms and workers economically but was criticized for potentially exploiting labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
Taylor's goal was to increase worker efficiency and productivity in order to benefit both the firm and workers. Frederick Winslow Taylor's scientific management theory aimed to enhance labor efficiency and organizational output by analyzing and optimizing workflows. The theory, introduced as Taylorism, involved meticulous observation and timing of tasks to streamline processes and reduce wasteful movements.
One example of Taylor's principles in practice involved instructing workers to take rest breaks which significantly increased the amount they could move from 12.5 to 47.0 tons per day. This not only reduced the firm's cost from 9.2 cents to 3.9 cents per ton but also increased workers' wages since they were compensated per ton moved. The method improved both productivity and the economic incentives for workers. However, Taylor's scientific management received criticism for potentially exploiting workers and its assumption that workers were inherently lazy.
His methods were further criticized for creating a work environment where workers were reduced to machine-like entities, strictly regulated, and often overworked. Nevertheless, Taylorism played a foundational role in the history of industrial organization and the evolution of workplace practices, although with complex implications for labor relations. It paved the way for the modern understanding of efficiency in workplaces, often considering technological and human elements to optimize production.